Anyone Wrapped a Sport Wheel?

Discussion in 'The whoa and the sway.' started by knucklebusted, Jun 19, 2020.

  1. breakinbuick11

    breakinbuick11 Platinum Level Contributor

  2. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    OK, mounted the wheel on a 2x4 and stretched the skin around it. It is very tight before I even get the padding on. This might be interesting. By interesting I mean a pain in the rump. More tomorrow. It's hot and I'm tired.

    [​IMG]
     
    Utah455 likes this.
  3. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    I would heat the cover in the sun. That will make it a bit more compliant. I wonder if you will have enough room for the padding, might need a bigger cover?
     
    bostoncat68 and knucklebusted like this.
  4. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    You didn't buy the Wheelskins cover, Greg? I think you are going to have problems because that cover is not reinforced where the holes are.
     
  5. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    It was cheap enough and I got it from Amazon. If the holes blows out, it won't break me. I've wasted more money and gotten less plenty of times. This is a science experiment.
     
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  6. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    Sure, I get it, time is cheap. Everybody's life is a science experiment, now.
     
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  7. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    OK, I think the easy part is over and the hard part comes next.

    I decided to wrap around the circumference like the skin rather than the spirally around like a bike handlebar wrap. The stuff I have is too wide to do a good bike wrap. If this doesn't work, I may order some much skinnier stuff and try that. Maybe 1/2" instead of 2". I figure I can always get more thread.

    The dense foam rubber didn't want to stick to the wheel very well when wrapped to the inside so I used several zip ties to hold it in place. The foam rubber actually made the skin slide over it easier.

    The issue now is I have a slight gap in the foam rubber where the skin and the foam rubber come together. I'm thinking of slicing small pieces to fill the crack as I go.

    Progress pictures.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  8. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    Today's update. I'm using two needles. I was off to a slow start as I kept crossing the threads. Duh!

    I think it is looking like it will be OK. I did have to put a strip in the gap to make it look right. If there were 2 1/8" weather stripping, it would be perfect or maybe the bike wrap method with a smaller width.

    [​IMG]
     
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  9. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    Looking good, Greg. I like the cross stitch pattern. It should be done in time for Christmas.
     
  10. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    Thanks. It seems like it will snug up, butted end to end and look pretty decent. Total investment so far, $28.

    I think I'm over the learning curve now. I ran out of time and had to eat supper. I finally took some magnets and set them a few feet apart and once I did a stitch, I set the top needle to the left and the bottom needle to the right so I would quit crossing the threads. I had to go back and undo loops about 3 times before I finally decided I wasn't going to make any progress like I was going.

    I planned on working on it more yesterday but I ended up working on my 10x12 shed that has some rot and the driveway was getting resealed.

    I think it will be done tomorrow. I'm probably going to glue/two-sided tape the area around the spokes if it doesn't lay down as I want.
     
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  11. 2manybuicks

    2manybuicks Founders Club Member

    Good content here. It may help some people out down the road.
     
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  12. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    OK, I'm about halfway done. I stressed over the spoke. I guess it looks OK but I may do the other one differently. I'm going to run short on thread so I'm going to see if I can find some that matches at Hobby Lobby. Need to do it today since they aren't open tomorrow.

    Definitely taking longer than I expected.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. 73 Stage-1

    73 Stage-1 Dave

    Look good - keep practicing like this, and I'll send you mine! :p :D
     
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  14. 2manybuicks

    2manybuicks Founders Club Member

    Big whoop, I could do it in half the time.

    Then again, it would look one quarter as good.:rolleyes:

    Spoke work looks good -- take a bunch of tries?
     
    knucklebusted likes this.
  15. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    All done. I think it looks pretty good. I had to put a small drop of glue on the seam when finished to get it to lay down. It isn't springy like leather. Anyone got any old, yucky Buick sport wheels that are beyond use they want to sell me? I think I can replicate this even nicer than this one now that I have one under my belt.

    The finished product and back on the car. It isn't a GSX wheel but it much nicer than before.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Before picture for reference.
    [​IMG]

    Some additional interim pics of the process.

    How it was laced up with two needles then used a pick to pull it snug.
    [​IMG]

    The ending seam where it was slightly puckered until I glued it.
    [​IMG]
     
    GSPops, OHC JOE, BUQUICK and 3 others like this.
  16. Chi-Town67

    Chi-Town67 Gold Level Contributor

    Great job Greg! It looks ALOT better than mine does. I think the cross stitch pattern is the way to go, it gives it a more "factory" look that really makes a big difference. Nice!
     
    knucklebusted likes this.
  17. Oldskewl59

    Oldskewl59 Gold Level Contributor

    Nice Job! Best wrapped wheel I have seen!
     
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  18. WQ59B

    WQ59B Well-Known Member

    Looks quite fine!
    What are the before & after rim diameters (or circumferences)?
     
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  19. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    I don't know about that. The one on post #12 looks pretty darned nice. Much better seam, that's for sure. That's what I'd probably look for next time, a better seam but this one looks fine for something that only cost me $28 and I have enough padding to do 2-3 more at least.

    Before the wheel measured .8" diameter without the finger nubs, almost an inch with the finger nubs.

    Now the diameter is 1 1/8" measured across and 1 1/4" at the finger nubs, which are still very much visible and feel nice.

    What I need is to find someone to help do vinyl siding on my shed for me wrapping their wheel. LOL, I'm going to have to tackle that eventually.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2020
    WQ59B likes this.
  20. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Looks great!
     
    knucklebusted likes this.

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